Email This Post HomeHumorCreate a Reality Show Challenge, Fake Girlfriends & Book Deals Amy Vansant November 3, 2017 Humor 23 Comments Quick Update on Gordon’s Fake Girlfriend The lady who dresses up the fake Labradoodle I see on my walks went all-out for Halloween. Fakey’d gone missing for a few days and I worried someone had stolen her, but nope – just a costume change! And now I’m thinking she might be a boy. Name a Reality Show Challenge – Win a book! Before each new novel of mine is released I like to let the readers name something in the book – ten or so people who respond win e-copies of the new book upon release and the winner gets a signed paperback. I’ve had y’all name bars, old folks homes, people… For Slightly Sweaty I have a challenge that will really stretch your imaginations! Since the story of Slightly Sweaty takes place during a television reality show called Minefield – which is a little like a domestic version of the Amazing Race or Survivor – I need to put my characters through challenges. So far I’ve had them sort marked goats in a field into pens and find their way out of a forest laced with paint-gun tripwires…now it’s your turn! Create/Name a reality show challenge! You don’t have to figure out every angle and aspect (if I like the name I can make up the rest) – in fact, if you just want to submit a name for a challenge that tickles your fancy, that works! Like “Banana War” or “Hamster Hoedown.” Winner will be pretty random – I pick eleven that sound good and declare one of them the top winner. This will be a lot of fun – Post your submission to the comments below to enter!!* This Week’s Giveaways and Book Deals! New! A Dead Mother by Anna Celeste Burke – 99c! (and free on KU) Jessica Huntington is back in the fourth Desert Cities Mystery by USA Today bestselling author, Anna Celeste Burke. Jessica’s ex-husband, James Harper, and her mother, Alexis, are in big trouble in A Dead Mother. Family dysfunction, infidelity, murder, and mayhem—what else can you expect from members of the rich and famous who move in Jessica Huntington’s circles? An arraignment in court goes off the rails after Jim Harper’s Bel Air mansion is trashed and a man is left fighting for his life. Jessica’s love life almost veers off track, too, as she struggles to balance job, family, sleuthing, and her attraction to Attorney Paul Worthington and Detective Frank Fontana. When the body of a prominent member of the Palm Desert community is found dead on the side of the road, Jessica gives up hope that this year will be better than the last. It’s a three-ring-circus of calamities as Jessica and her friends get pulled into another whirlwind whodunit. There are plenty of well-heeled heels to choose from among the suspects with murderous motives: love, lust, lucre, and loathing. Grab your copy and find out whodunit! Start Date: 11-01-2017End Date: 11-08-2017 All the Tomorrows By Nillu Nasser Usual Price: New Release Sale: New Release Sometimes we cant escape the webs we are born into. Sometimes we are the architects of our own fall. Akash Choudry wants a love for all time, not an arranged marriage. Still, under the weight of parental hopes, he agrees to one. He and Jaya marry Amazon |Kobo Link|BN|Apple iBooks Start Date: 11-01-2017End Date: 11-17-2017 Love The Wine You’re With By Mary E Thompson Usual Price: 2.99 Sale: FREE When an 18 year old virgin meets a sexy new veteran, she thinks he could be the one to finally steal her heart, and other things. But he has his own worries to deal with. Theres a ticking clock, counting down until she leaves, maybe for good. Amazon |Kobo Link|BN|Apple iBooks|Website Start Date: 11-02-2017End Date: 12-02-2017 Missing Desire By PJ Fiala Usual Price: 3.99 Sale: New Release Big beautiful woman, Nita Brown, is trying to grow her business and keep her son out of trouble. When she meets lovable, sweet and a security specialist, their worlds collide. Whats a girl to do? Amazon |Kobo Link|BN|Apple iBooks Start Date: 10-27-2017End Date: 11-01-2017 All Hallows’ Eve Heist, Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery #3 By Anna Celeste Burke Usual Price: 1.99 Sale: .99 A botched heist has everyone scrambling to catch trigger-happy thieves on the run at Marvelous Marley World. Figuring out whodunit wont be easy. The theme parks packed & everyones in costume, including the bad guys. Amazon|Website Start Date: 10-31-2017End Date: 11-07-2017 The Vampire wants a Wife (Supernatural Dating Agency Book 1) By Andie M. Long Usual Price: New Release Sale: .99 Running a dating agency can be a killer Shelley Linley is sick of sickos. Yet another prankster has applied to her dating agency. This one says hes a vampire and he wants Shelley to help him find a wife.Meeting him for a second interview against all her better judgement, Shelley discovers that he has no clue about women. A shame because hes super-hot, amusing, and has a lot of single friends he could recommend her struggling business to, even if he does say theyre werewolves and demons. She has to help him, even if hes crazy.If she can ignore his delusions, shes sure she can help him meet someone. But when death threats start arriving on her doorstep, Shelleys not sure shes cut out for the job then her dating algorithm states shes his ideal partner. Now shes not sure if she should take the risk for love, or run like hell. Welcome to Withernsea and the Supernatural Dating Agency, for readers of Michelle Rowen, Gerry Bartlett and Michele Bardsley who like their humour to have bite.Buy The Vampire wants a Wife to see if Theodore gets his happy forever after. Amazon Start Date: 11-03-2017End Date: 11-08-2017 Rescued By A Kiss (The New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles Book 1) By Colleen Mooney Usual Price: 2.99 Sale: .99 A KISS TO KILL FOR In Colleen Mooneys funny, romantic, delightfully meandering cozy mystery, you gon have a authentic Noo Awlins experience, dawlin! And a wild ride into the bargain. Youd think a mystery that begins with an eligible man taking a bullet might be a bit dark, but Colleen Mooney has something else in mindsomething like a screwball chase all over town, from Lee Circle to the Lakefront, with a stop at Charity Hospital, and finally to the French Quarters favorite gay dance club, at all times accompanied by Schnauzers, one of them named Geaux Cup.Jiff, the captivating kisser, (aka Mr. Possibly Right), has enemies, of course, and, oh, by the way, he and Brandy get kidnapped, but this ones much more about the offbeat inventive fun than the mystery. And the romance, of course. Amazon|Website Start Date: 11-03-2017End Date: 01-31-2018 Curse Breaker: Faceted By Melinda Kucsera Usual Price: New Release Sale: New Release In a subterranean world where light is everything, can an untrained mage and his son stop the encroaching darkness? Amazon|Website This AuthorsXP.com giveaway is running until Monday! Win Amazon Gift Cards! Each week I give away $20 gift certificates to readers for following authors on BookBub, Amazon, etc! * By entering the “Create a Reality Show Challenge” competition you agree that I can use your idea anyway I see fit in the book (I can tweak the idea, not use it at all, use as is) and that you release any claim to it. I think that’s pretty self-evident but in this day and age I have to spell it out! About Latest Posts Amy VansantAmy Vansant is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal Best-Selling author specializing in fun, funny fiction --- even the murder mysteries. Latest posts by Amy Vansant (see all) Teach Your Dog to Talk, Win a Kindle, Deals & Steals - November 7, 2019 Winners of the Name the Skull Contest, Book Giveaways & Deals - October 29, 2019 The Vultures Show Up, Cool Furniture – Book Giveaways and Deals - October 15, 2019 23 Responses Lori Hendel November 3, 2017 So it sounds like the book is not set in a city, so the challenge may need to be set in a more rural or nature setting. I like the idea of scarecrows. You can call it Scare your Pants off. The contestants need to construct a scarecrow using their own clothes. I’ll leave the details to you. 🙂 Enjoy!!! 3 likes Reply Amy Vansant November 3, 2017 LOL! 0 likes Reply Bobbi November 3, 2017 Indecent proposal. For tons of money. They have to due something I’m morally wrong 0 likes Sandy Lipinski November 4, 2017 Women blindfolded, and they have to guess which is their boyfriend by the answers to questions. 0 likes Rachel Hilton November 3, 2017 The name: Tip Toe Through the Tulips….I leave the details to you – idea…standing on tiptoes balances on a “fake tulip”…….last to “crush” tulip (or fall off) wins 0 likes Reply Kim W. November 3, 2017 How about Rural Rumble? Sounds like it takes place out in the country. 0 likes Reply Val November 3, 2017 My submissions to the naming gods are: Handless Housekeeping – the couple must complete a domestic task together with out using their hands. Blind mans cookies – one half of the couple must talk the second blindfolded member through making a batch of cookies. Talk them out of it – the couple has to convince a stranger to switch clothing with one of them, in a public space. I’m putting a vote in for “Scare your pants off ” (see Lori above ) I’d like to see that 2 likes Reply Val November 3, 2017 I have more.. Because this is way too much fun. Barnyard bath or Bathtime for Baby – giving very dirty nonhuman babies a bath Party till you’re farty or I lactose you so much – contestants must eat an obscene amount of cheese (amazing race did something like this once) Everything’s coming up roses – moving a large pile of fresh manure Tie me up tie you down – one contestants hands are tied, the others feet. I don’t know what they’re doing but it bound to be funny 0 likes Reply JULIE E TOUCHSTONE November 3, 2017 Redneck Directions-Have to guide someone somewhere without using north, south, etc, or right, left, up, down. Have to use redneck directions-go past the blue silo and turn at the oak tree with the yellow ribbon. Can we build it?-put together a desk or something with no directions and extra pieces. Screw it-have to sort a jar of nuts and bolts and match up at least 10 pair. Picture this-match the baby picture to the current contestants. Or a macro picture of a section of a famous monument to the monument. Bug Out-identify bugs native to the area. Tie it or Dye it Penny Pincher 1 likes Reply Debbie November 3, 2017 Barnyard Scramble– Contestants remove an egg from under a hen and run across a muddy barnyard to deposit their eggs, unbroken, in their team’s basket. Lots of opportunity for falling and other hilarity. 0 likes Reply Barbara November 3, 2017 Have contestants enter a cornfield from opposite sides blindfolded and try to find each other. 2 likes Reply Gray November 3, 2017 Sweaty Piglets – run to grab as many piglets as they could thru a maze with one leg rope to the other, with one eye patched and underwear only. With lots of Mud😺! Me.dot.Me – hide a personal item of the other and give the instructions by email. Of course typing with one finger and trying to make each other hell! 0 likes Reply Tammie Lou November 3, 2017 Chicken Run: A glass maze filled with all kinds of things from balls to fake snakes and of course live chickens. Blind fold them, they have to make it through the maze while collecting chicken eggs and putting them in baskets…..You know like Mines! teehee 0 likes Reply Cindy weller November 4, 2017 Toss in the knif Contestants arrive at a doorway, they are requested to through silverware and plates and cups onto a table to set the table. The person who does it best, or fastest wins. The twist is that nowhere in the instructions does it say they must stay behind the door before the toss. So a clever person could walk into the room before the challenge and move the table over to the door then when asked to go they are standing beside the table and are just placing the items. Fun angle for your “I want to hate them” character. 1 likes Reply Barbara Harrison November 4, 2017 Bed Making (from pile of boards, etc) 0 likes Reply Cindy Gnew November 5, 2017 My suggestion for the challenge is: Stink Bomb! It could take any number of avenues. Initially it was about dirty diapers, but rotten food in the fridge that needs to be cleaned out works without harming any babies. Have fun! 0 likes Reply julie bambi November 5, 2017 puckers and sours or sour puckers? its a food challenge- have eat a bowl of lemons or that super sour candy (some of the sours are just down right AWFUL! or 5 little peppers-literally eating 5 of the crazy hot peppers ( i had thai last nigtht, and the stuff gets real HOT) 0 likes Reply Jeannie Daniel November 8, 2017 Rubber chicken catapult, Simple Simons Pie Assault, Corn Row Slalom 0 likes Reply Judie Johnson November 8, 2017 Cat’s paw. Try following a cat paw print who lives in the country only to find out you went off trail and followed a big cat. What to do? 0 likes Reply Sandy November 8, 2017 Find hidden directions in the country side while on horses to win the prize maybe ride backwards or no way to direct the horse . Maybe no trails and lots of natural occurring obstacles wild scavenger hunt 0 likes Reply terry saunders November 8, 2017 Called “Berry Bunch” I’d like taking strawberries or blackberries or blueberries and see who can make the best dessert, have the bakers separated from each other and then about part way through have them switch places and let them have to figure out what the other person was making and work on it then again have a switch to another person and continue until one recipe is finished. 0 likes Reply E Strati November 8, 2017 Christmas themed? 12 Days of Christmas Of course my first thought was a simple egg-gathering task which for non farmers can be a challenge (pushing hens off nest, confronting rooster, dealing with smell, etc.) and I was going to call it some like “9 Hens A-Laying” (okay, the lyric is 6 Geese)–which naturally brought the song to mind. Keep in mind that goose poop is dog-sized. On the First day of Christmas my true love sent to me . . . A Partridge in a Pear Tree. Two Turtle Doves Three French Hens 4 Calling Birds 5 Gold Rings 6 Geese a-Laying 7 Swans a-Swimming 8 Maids a-Milking 9 Ladies Dancing 10 Lords a-Leaping 11 Pipers Piping 12 Drummers Drumming 0 likes Reply Linda Kwolek November 9, 2017 Neighbor Wars, BFF or Has Beens 0 likes Reply Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Add me to Amy Vansant's Humor Newsletter!
Lori Hendel November 3, 2017 So it sounds like the book is not set in a city, so the challenge may need to be set in a more rural or nature setting. I like the idea of scarecrows. You can call it Scare your Pants off. The contestants need to construct a scarecrow using their own clothes. I’ll leave the details to you. 🙂 Enjoy!!! 3 likes Reply
Bobbi November 3, 2017 Indecent proposal. For tons of money. They have to due something I’m morally wrong 0 likes
Sandy Lipinski November 4, 2017 Women blindfolded, and they have to guess which is their boyfriend by the answers to questions. 0 likes
Rachel Hilton November 3, 2017 The name: Tip Toe Through the Tulips….I leave the details to you – idea…standing on tiptoes balances on a “fake tulip”…….last to “crush” tulip (or fall off) wins 0 likes Reply
Kim W. November 3, 2017 How about Rural Rumble? Sounds like it takes place out in the country. 0 likes Reply
Val November 3, 2017 My submissions to the naming gods are: Handless Housekeeping – the couple must complete a domestic task together with out using their hands. Blind mans cookies – one half of the couple must talk the second blindfolded member through making a batch of cookies. Talk them out of it – the couple has to convince a stranger to switch clothing with one of them, in a public space. I’m putting a vote in for “Scare your pants off ” (see Lori above ) I’d like to see that 2 likes Reply
Val November 3, 2017 I have more.. Because this is way too much fun. Barnyard bath or Bathtime for Baby – giving very dirty nonhuman babies a bath Party till you’re farty or I lactose you so much – contestants must eat an obscene amount of cheese (amazing race did something like this once) Everything’s coming up roses – moving a large pile of fresh manure Tie me up tie you down – one contestants hands are tied, the others feet. I don’t know what they’re doing but it bound to be funny 0 likes Reply
JULIE E TOUCHSTONE November 3, 2017 Redneck Directions-Have to guide someone somewhere without using north, south, etc, or right, left, up, down. Have to use redneck directions-go past the blue silo and turn at the oak tree with the yellow ribbon. Can we build it?-put together a desk or something with no directions and extra pieces. Screw it-have to sort a jar of nuts and bolts and match up at least 10 pair. Picture this-match the baby picture to the current contestants. Or a macro picture of a section of a famous monument to the monument. Bug Out-identify bugs native to the area. Tie it or Dye it Penny Pincher 1 likes Reply
Debbie November 3, 2017 Barnyard Scramble– Contestants remove an egg from under a hen and run across a muddy barnyard to deposit their eggs, unbroken, in their team’s basket. Lots of opportunity for falling and other hilarity. 0 likes Reply
Barbara November 3, 2017 Have contestants enter a cornfield from opposite sides blindfolded and try to find each other. 2 likes Reply
Gray November 3, 2017 Sweaty Piglets – run to grab as many piglets as they could thru a maze with one leg rope to the other, with one eye patched and underwear only. With lots of Mud😺! Me.dot.Me – hide a personal item of the other and give the instructions by email. Of course typing with one finger and trying to make each other hell! 0 likes Reply
Tammie Lou November 3, 2017 Chicken Run: A glass maze filled with all kinds of things from balls to fake snakes and of course live chickens. Blind fold them, they have to make it through the maze while collecting chicken eggs and putting them in baskets…..You know like Mines! teehee 0 likes Reply
Cindy weller November 4, 2017 Toss in the knif Contestants arrive at a doorway, they are requested to through silverware and plates and cups onto a table to set the table. The person who does it best, or fastest wins. The twist is that nowhere in the instructions does it say they must stay behind the door before the toss. So a clever person could walk into the room before the challenge and move the table over to the door then when asked to go they are standing beside the table and are just placing the items. Fun angle for your “I want to hate them” character. 1 likes Reply
Cindy Gnew November 5, 2017 My suggestion for the challenge is: Stink Bomb! It could take any number of avenues. Initially it was about dirty diapers, but rotten food in the fridge that needs to be cleaned out works without harming any babies. Have fun! 0 likes Reply
julie bambi November 5, 2017 puckers and sours or sour puckers? its a food challenge- have eat a bowl of lemons or that super sour candy (some of the sours are just down right AWFUL! or 5 little peppers-literally eating 5 of the crazy hot peppers ( i had thai last nigtht, and the stuff gets real HOT) 0 likes Reply
Jeannie Daniel November 8, 2017 Rubber chicken catapult, Simple Simons Pie Assault, Corn Row Slalom 0 likes Reply
Judie Johnson November 8, 2017 Cat’s paw. Try following a cat paw print who lives in the country only to find out you went off trail and followed a big cat. What to do? 0 likes Reply
Sandy November 8, 2017 Find hidden directions in the country side while on horses to win the prize maybe ride backwards or no way to direct the horse . Maybe no trails and lots of natural occurring obstacles wild scavenger hunt 0 likes Reply
terry saunders November 8, 2017 Called “Berry Bunch” I’d like taking strawberries or blackberries or blueberries and see who can make the best dessert, have the bakers separated from each other and then about part way through have them switch places and let them have to figure out what the other person was making and work on it then again have a switch to another person and continue until one recipe is finished. 0 likes Reply
E Strati November 8, 2017 Christmas themed? 12 Days of Christmas Of course my first thought was a simple egg-gathering task which for non farmers can be a challenge (pushing hens off nest, confronting rooster, dealing with smell, etc.) and I was going to call it some like “9 Hens A-Laying” (okay, the lyric is 6 Geese)–which naturally brought the song to mind. Keep in mind that goose poop is dog-sized. On the First day of Christmas my true love sent to me . . . A Partridge in a Pear Tree. Two Turtle Doves Three French Hens 4 Calling Birds 5 Gold Rings 6 Geese a-Laying 7 Swans a-Swimming 8 Maids a-Milking 9 Ladies Dancing 10 Lords a-Leaping 11 Pipers Piping 12 Drummers Drumming 0 likes Reply
